Queen Rania Presents Global Citizen Award to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

(Office of Her Majesty – Press Department – Amman) - Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah presented the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an award ceremony in New York City on Tuesday, citing his ability to transform “compassion into action” on the global refugee crisis.

The Queen took part in the annual Atlantic Council event, attended by about 450 global government, business, and civil society leaders, during a working visit to the United States with His Majesty King Abdullah II.

Trudeau was chosen to receive this award due to his “respect for universal freedom, diversity, and prosperity, and his promotion of open trade and open borders,” according to a statement from the Atlantic Council. Other honorees included President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, as well as pianist and philanthropist Lang Lang.

Speaking at the eighth annual Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards, Her Majesty commended Trudeau’s leadership and high regard for the values of “openness, generosity, big-heartedness and broad-mindedness.”

Queen Rania also recalled co-chairing a session on refugees and migrants alongside Trudeau at the United Nations headquarters last year, where he stated that all countries have a responsibility to do more to solve the global refugee crisis.

“For me, coming from Jordan, it was especially powerful to hear a Western leader speak this way,” Her Majesty said.

A previous honoree of the Atlantic Council, Queen Rania received the Global Citizen Award in 2013 in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and support of global education. She dedicated the award to the people of Jordan.

Founded in 1961, the Atlantic Council is a non-partisan international organization that works to galvanize the transatlantic community to tackle a host of global challenges. It annually recognizes outstanding individuals who exhibit distinguished leadership in policy, business, military and the arts.